Day: February 27, 2011

I just arrived home after an interesting drive back home after a 1-2 inch snow fall earlier today (Saturday, February 26th 2010). It was such an interesting drive that I had to write about it right away. I was coming home after a 4 hour drive from Moose Lake (visiting a friend in prison) already planning on what to do when I get home. Well, my arrival time was delayed about 30 minutes after a couple of unexpected situations along the way. It’s actually something to “expect” in Minnesota winter driving. Along my way, I notice a car on the other side of the highway (28) as I was just coming off Interstate-94 off Sauk Centre. I’ve been in that similar situation and I hated it when cars drove by as I needed help. I decided to do a U-turn and drive by and check on them. I notice 3 teenagers and one of them told me that they had a problem with their alternator, but one of their buddies were on their way to rescue them. I was glad I checked and started to drive my way out…until! Doh!! I got stuck on the ditch of the side of the highway as I was about to drive another u-turn back to my destination (Morris, MN)…how embarrassing!! Here I was going to try to help these folks and I ended-up needing the help after wards :)… I was about 25 yards from them when I got stuck, so all three of the young teenagers tried to push my car out of the small patch of snow in the ditch. I had no luck driving out, so I got out of my vehicle and took out my shovel I store in the trunk of my car. Thank God I brought it with me!! It’s funny that I just put that shovel earlier this morning after I had a “inkling” thought that I would need it today. I had the shovel in my garage for several days as the weather has been “good” and I needed the space of my trunk for something else during the week after our 14″ snowstorm earlier in the week!! Being calm and not in a rush to go home, I decided to chit chat with the teenagers while I was shoveling. They told me they were from Browerville (north of Sauk Centre-see map) and we exchanged names (Lucas, Tim?, lady??-went back to the car as she was probably cold). I happen to have some cardboard (box was just given to me from my friends I visited in St. Cloud after visiting their family member in the prison with me) that I used to put under the tires for traction to help get the car out of the small patch of snow in the ditch…it worked!! Hallelluah!! I then drove off and said thank you (If guys ever read this..thanks!!)!!

3/13/2006 Snow Storm Blog Video

“This is the blog video from the 3/16/2006 winter storm that hit the Minneapolis and St. Paul Minnesota area during the overnight hours. Footage of people in the snow, cars in the ditch in the snow, snow plows and tow trucks trying to pull out stuck cars and trucks.
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I thought that was going to be the end of my night, but it didn’t end there!! As I was heading home thinking about this recent highway incident, I ran into a similar situation. It was by the entry ramp of State Highway 28 & 59 (east of the overpass bridge). I see a Pontiac car stuck in a ditch (missing the entry ramp going north on 59). I “rolled” down my window and asked if he needed help and he did, so I pulled my vehicle to the side and checked the situation. The guy (teenager) and I tried to push the car out of the ditch, but no luck!! I decided to run back to my car to get my “handy” shovel…again!! Wow, God is good! I’m glad He reminded me to bring my shovel…probably for this “second” situation within a 30 minute span! I shoveled all around the vehicle and we (teen guy’s name was “Eli”?? and his friend was in the vehicle-from Alexandria, MN)
still couldn’t get the vehicle to drive out!! I even used part of my cardboard, but that didn’t work as part of the vehicle was elevated. I told them I had a tow rope, but my car is too small to pull their “bigger” vehicle out. The gal then suggested that I go to the nearby restaurant (Wild Onion) and see if there is someone with a pick-up truck that can pull them out. I then jumped to my car and drove a block or two (I was a little hesitant at first as a “ethnic-minority” stepping into a bar in this part of the country, but I let God take away that “negative thinking”). I got to the bar and a waitress was right at the front of the door chatting with some of the customers. I then took a deep breath and then told them the situation. The kind nice waitress found a guy that could helped as we drove off to the scene. As we drove back, we saw another pick-up truck pulling the Pontiac out. I got out of my car and said my farewell to “Eli” as he said “thank you”. We all drove off and I then did a little prayer asking God to bless all the folks I feel put in my path during this “longer” than expected drive home. As I was driving home and thinking about all the past 30 minutes, I just looked up to the clear sky (over the truck I was trailing behind as I was going towards Starbuck from Glenwood) and saw a beautiful sign from God. It was some form of light shooting down rapidly…shooting star? (see GoodnewsEverybody.com Science: Astronomy It was going from the north to south in the western sky. Wow, what a beautiful ending to this evening.

As I was driving, I got this phrase that came up to me. Did the “tow rope” rescue those teenager’s “Pontiac” or was it the guy that drove that pick-up? That’s the same as Jesus “the Savior” with the people of this earth..are we available to be used by Him to help others in desperate situations in life? When I woke-up this morning, I was reminded to ask my Heavenly Father..”Lord, show me how I can be used by you today? as I was reminded way back in 1996 (see testimony) when I told Him, “I’ll serve you the rest of my life if you make my leg better” (in a hospital x-ray room in Morris, Minnesota after a skiing accident in Andes Tower Hills-Alexandria, MN-just 20-30 minutes just north of the 2nd scene of the car in the ditch). Don’t forget how God has blessed you in the past…daily? He wants to use you to do the same for those around us!